1. Technical Field
This invention generally pertains to a drip catching device, and specifically to a drip pan for use under a vehicle to catch dirt and other debris that would otherwise contaminate the surface on which the vehicle is parked.
2. Background Art
Vehicles driven over public roads pick-up and accumulate a substantial quantity of dirt and debris on their tires, in their wheel wells, and on their undercarriage, much of which eventually drops off the vehicle onto the surface on which the vehicle is parked. Tis debris may include a relatively high concentration of road salt that is spread on roads during winter to melt ice. Salt is known to have a damaging effect on concrete, causing pitting and weakening of the surface. In any case, the dirt, mud, and melting ice and snow present an unsafe and undesirable appearance on the garage floor. Normally, this problem can only be controlled by frequent sweeping and cleaning of the floor.
Even when a vehicle is not laden with contaminants picked-up from the road, it may drip oil and other lubricants onto the garage surface. Such spots can usually only be removed with solvent, and until this is done, represent a slipping hazard and an unsightly appearance. The conventional shallow metal pan used to catch lubricant spills or drips is relatively small in size, since it is only intended to catch lubricant dripping from a relatively small area of the vehicle's undercarriage. As such, this type drip pan would not be large enough to catch debris falling from all parts of the vehicle chassis. In addition, the sides of such a conventional drip pan would likely be damaged by the vehicle's wheels if it were continually driven onto the drip pan. This would undoubtedly crush the side walls of the pan on one end, allowing contaminants carried with water to flow out onto the garage surface.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a relatively low cost drip pan for protecting a surface from debris that falls off any part of the vehicle parked on the surface.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a drip pan with side walls over which a vehicle and drive without damage or permanent deformation of the drip pan perimeter.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a drip pan that is portable and easily cleaned.
Yet a still further object is to provide a drip pan that is sufficiently low in cost that it is readily replaced when damaged or worn.
These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the attached drawings and the description of the preferred embodiments that follows hereinbelow.